San Antonio Spurs center Tiago Splitter, center, of Brazil, is fouled by Sacramento Kings guard Andre Miller, right, as Kings forward Reggie Evans looks on during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Friday, Feb. 27, 2015.(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) less

San Antonio Spurs center Tiago Splitter, center, of Brazil, is fouled by Sacramento Kings guard Andre Miller, right, as Kings forward Reggie Evans looks on during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in ... more

San Antonio Spurs center Tiago Splitter, center, of Brazil, shoots over Sacramento Kings forward Jason Thompson, left, as Kings forward Rudy Gay looks on during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in ... more

Photo: Associated Press

Splitter back in starting role

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The Spurs returned from the road with a new starting center.

He’s the same as the old starting center.

With two games left in the first losing rodeo trip in team history, coach Gregg Popovich at last returned to the most-used starting lineup from last year’s championship season.

That meant Tiago Splitter, instead of Aron Baynes, at center.

“It’s big, being on the court more time,” Splitter said. “I’m not playing my best. I know that. But I’m fighting through.”

The Spurs won both games Splitter started to close the rodeo trip, at Sacramento and Saturday’s 101-74 win in Phoenix. They are 7-2 this season with the fivesome of Splitter, Duncan, Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green and Tony Parker.

Splitter began fall camp with a calf injury, and the 30-year-old Brazilian struggled returning to form once he was back on the court.

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That led Popovich to experiment with other centers next to All-Star forward Tim Duncan.

Baynes had played particularly well of late, averaging 9.7 points and 6.4 rebounds in a career-high 13 starts. In Saturday’s smashing of the Suns, Baynes provided 12 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.

Splitter has made the most of his reinsertion in the starting lineup, combining for 14 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks over the past two games.

The lineup switch was in no way a demotion for Baynes. The 28-year-old Australian remains the Spurs’ most active offensive rebounder (3.5 per 36 minutes) and should continue to play a key role in reserve.

“Baynsie’s been playing very well for us,” Popovich said. “He and Tiago are both real important.”

Charting Duncan: Saturday’s game against Phoenix marked the 1,308th of Duncan’s career, breaking a tie with Buck Williams for 12th on the NBA’s all-time list.

Additionally, Duncan’s 10 rebounds against the Suns gave him 14,464 for his career, equaling Nate Thurmond for ninth.

The next statistical milestone the 38-year-old Duncan is likely to approach is on the blocked-shot chart. At 2,889, he is five shy of Patrick Ewing for sixth.

Person made 190 long balls in 1995-96. Green needs to average about 2.3 over the final 24 games to match.

After an up-and-down season that has seen him connect on 39.2 percent of his 3-point attempts — a low since he became a regular starter in 2011-12 — Green suggested he is beginning to reacclimate to his long-distance role.

“We had so many injuries I had to do a lot more creating and handling a little more, and also they actually ran some plays for me,” Green said. “Right now, I’m re-adjusting to playing within the team and still being aggressive and making plays.”